The life assurance giant said that investors in its two ethical funds, the Ethical Pension Fund and the UK Ethical Fund, had expressed strong concern about intensive farming methods such as fish farming and battery hens.

Surprisingly, its ethical investors were not unduly concerned by genetically modified foods.

In its annual poll of its ethical investors, more than 90% of respondents agreed that Standard Life should extend its existing investment screening criteria for animal testing to include intensive farming.